University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
Old Dominion
No. 22 Baseball Falls at Old Dominion, 13-9
04/09/2002 | Baseball
April 9, 2002
Norfolk, Va. - The University of Richmond pounded out 14 hits but lost for the second time this season to Old Dominion, 13-9, at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex in Norfolk, Va.
The Spiders offense was led by sophomore Matt Craig who went 3-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Sophomore Bryan Pritz also collected three hits in the game, going 3-5 with three runs scored and one RBI.
Old Dominion was led by third baseman Kevin Snapp who went 3-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Designated hitter Gary Lowther went 3-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.
Spider lead off hitter Bryan Pritz gave the visitors an early lead when he cracked the fourth pitch of the game over the center field wall. The Monarchs tied the game in their half of the first when an Allen Strick sac fly to right plated Joe Moore.
Richmond rallied with four runs in the third. Matt Craig ripped a single to left field where the ODU left fielder misplayed the hop and the bases cleared. Craig later scored on a wild pitch and Richmond led 5-1.
Old Dominion responded with four in their half of the third to knot the score, 5-5. Kevin Snapp delivered an RBI single and scored on Jared Musolf's double to left center. Musolf and Gary Lowther later scored on a Mike Croley double to left center.
The Monarchs struck for four more runs in the fourth on two two-run blasts. Snapp belted the first one to deep center field and Lowther followed with his own shot over the left field wall. It was Lowther's third home run against the Spiders this season. ODU increased its lead to 10-5 with an unearned run in the fifth. Ryan Harvey reached on an error, moved to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on another wild pitch from reliever Matt McLoughlin.
The Spiders chipped away at the lead with a run in the sixth. Catcher Chris Dolan led off the frame with a single and later scored on an error by the Monarch short stop. Two runs were stolen from the Spiders when a hot shot grounder of Pritz's bat was snared by a diving Snapp at third who threw a strike to first and end the threat.
Back-to-back homers from Craig and Vito Chiaravalloti closed to gap to 10-8 in the seventh. Chiaravalloti's home run, his team-high 13th of the season, was launched high over the left field wall and landed on the roof of the athletic administration building.
The Monarachs increased their lead in the bottom of the seventh to 11-8. Sollenberger reached on an error and later scored on a Musolf single through the right side. The base hit knocked McLoughlin out of the game in favor of freshman John Cronin. ODU tacked on two more runs in the eighth, including Sollenberger's steal of home, to take a 13-8 lead.
The Spiders added a run in the ninth to account for the final tally. The bases were loaded with two outs and the tying run was at the plate but designated hitter Brian Ruscello flew out to center field.
Richmond starter Jason Bolinski suffered the loss and fell to 3-2 on the season. ODU's Kevin Evans improved to 3-3 with the win.
The Spiders return to action at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10 against James Madison in Harrisonburg, Va. Richmond returns home to host Duquesne in a three-game Atlantic 10 series this weekend (April 13-14) at Pitt Field.
